Just now back. Rode clockwise, which was the right answer. PO to 5 to Puyallup to 410 to 123 to 7 and back through Tacoma to PO. About 225 miles. Could have done it on one tank of gas on the C14, but that would be pushing it and who needs the stress. I only bought one gallon of gas for the trip though. I rode 50 miles to Buckley for a coffee stop and so I re-filled like 1.1 and that was all the gas I bought today. I had 123 all to myself. I rode it at exactly the speed I wanted to. It was damp in a few spots. I literally didn't see another car going my way. Lots coming the other way. Same going over the mountain - a million cars entering the park from the west side, no one but me going the other way. It's a stone motherufcker now trying to get up the mountain from the west. miles of cars waiting to pay. I hit it just right today. good to be home for some soup and an espresso and to clean my bike back up. What a great (unusual) saturday morning ride. It was 40 degrees up in the clouds at the top. I saw a 25 degree temp change over the ride. The Connie is exactly the bike I'd want for this ride. Exactly. #goodkarma

On the way back the bridge is closed (closed because it's open, which is weird).

Traffic backup in progress.

I was at the top of the hill and I turned off the motor and duck-walked to the front of the line on the right margin. Everyone smiled that I noticed. Not a single driver seemed to be put off by it. I blame my speed. It was a slow walking speed, and the silence helps as well. No one is afraid or startled and so they don't have a chance to get mad.

As I get to the front I see a bunch of biker dudes all parked in that pullout/observation spot so I coast over and park. Everyone is watching the boat go through the bridge.

Two state cop vehicles are right at the edge of the bridge, maybe 100 yards from the pullout toward the bridge.

Just before the bridge opened up, Officer Bagadonitz jumps in his government vehicle and hauls ass over to us as if we are flying al qaida colors.

He throws a brodie in the intersection, skids to a commanding halt, jumps out and yells - "Papers! Everyone show me your papers! Now! Mach Schnell!" as he struts around, "Man-in-Charge-at-the-Scene".

Well, in cop English that translates to "License and registration. Everyone."

Effectively, it's "Papers!"

Lectures all around. Lots of time for the line of passing cars to ogle and feel vindicated, and we all rode away un-cited, but with our official government identity numbers written in his little green book, you know, for next time.

LOL. Pay to play.

On the way through Silverdale and Bremerton and PO like every tenth car was a cop. Pickup trucks, lots of grey Dodge Chargers.

It's infested with The Man out there.My advice: stay home and have a picnic in the back yard.

Still,

Love my bike.

Note: anyone know the RCW that the "walking the bike down the side of the road" maneuver violates?

Just curious.

I know The Man has a hard ass job. I respect that. But I get to gripe at The State a bit any way. It's part of the deal. We'z Americans!

If you had gone yesterday, you would have had a different experience. Left the Bonney Lake area at around 8:45 heading home via Chinook Pass/12/Skate Creek Rd/FS Rds 25 & 90. We encountered heavy traffic most of the way up to the intersection with SR-123.

Most of the parking lots above were full of Hikers.

Still worth it just to see this though.

Clear sailing all the way east to the HWY 12 interchange. Heading back West on 12 we again encountered thick traffic, but (with a few exceptions) we were able to travel at least the speed limit for most of the way. It definitely was a relatively high traffic day, but over all, it was still a good day to get out. The weather was almost perfect.